Jaka Bijol earns Slovenia call, extending Leeds defender’s 2025/26 season as ninth international | OneFootball

Jaka Bijol has been called up by Slovenia for June friendlies, becoming the ninth Leeds United first-teamer on international duty and extending his season into June, according to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk.

Slovenia missed out on 2026 World Cup qualification in November, losing 2-0 to Kosovo then drawing 1-1 with Sweden. They will host Cyprus in Ljubljana on 4 June before travelling to Croatia on 7 June.

The 27-year-old has impressed in his first Leeds campaign after a £15 million move from Udinese last summer. He waited until late October for a Premier League debut, then featured in all but five league matches thereafter.

Bijol made 25 Premier League appearances, scoring once with a powerful header against Chelsea in November and adding two assists. He has thrived at the heart of Daniel Farke’s back three, between Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk.

Reflecting recently, he described the campaign as outstanding and said he enjoyed it throughout, even when he was not playing. He credited team-mates for keeping spirits high and said he was glad to contribute.

Elsewhere in the squad, four head across the Atlantic for the World Cup, with Brenden Aaronson in the USA squad, Gabriel Gudmundsson with Sweden, Ao Tanaka with Japan and Noah Okafor with Switzerland. Bijol is among five involved in friendlies, with Karl Darlow, Ethan Ampadu, Daniel James and Rodon called up by Wales for matches against Ghana and Romania.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk